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Barcelona have lodged a formal complaint with UEFA concerning the grass height at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium ahead of their Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Atlético Madrid.
La Blaugrana face a steep challenge in the Spanish capital following their 2–0 first leg loss on home turf, with Hansi Flick and his squad desperately seeking any possible edge to secure their place in the semifinals.
One potential variable in Tuesday night's match could be the Metropolitano pitch itself, with Barça officially raising concerns to UEFA after finding the grass to be excessively long during their Monday training session at the ground, according to Marca.
Should the grass prove too lengthy, the Catalan club fear it will disrupt their high-intensity, possession-driven style and reduce their chances of advancing to the next round.
Barcelona Concerns Over Grass Length Eased
Under UEFA regulations, grass must not surpass three centimeters (1.18 inches) in height across the pitch, with any non-compliance requiring the grass to be cut before kick-off.
However, as Mundo Deportivo reports, UEFA have moved swiftly to reassure Barça regarding the Metropolitano surface, pledging to measure the grass and cut it down if required.
UEFA confirmed they would adhere to the existing protocol concerning pitch conditions, with Barça sporting director Deco expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved well ahead of Tuesday's pivotal encounter.
UEFA Reject Barcelona Complaint Over Officials
Barça have maintained regular communication with UEFA over the past week, having first submitted a complaint regarding referee István Kovács' officiating during the first leg against Atléti at Camp Nou.
Flick and his players were angered by a number of the Romanian official's calls, most notably an incident involving Atléti defender Marc Pubill. The 22-year-old, already booked, handled the ball inside his own penalty area, stopping it after it appeared goalkeeper Juan Musso had already taken the goal kick.
Kovács remained unmoved by Barça's protests and VAR chose not to intervene, prompting the Catalans to file a complaint with UEFA.
However, the governing body's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has since thrown out Barcelona's objection.
"Following the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg between Barcelona and Atlético, Barcelona filed a protest relating to a referee decision," a UEFA statement read.
"The UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body has declared the protest to be inadmissible."